Middlesbrough hope to increase the pressure on Chelsea manager Rafa Benítez
tonight – by following Chelsea's own blueprint.

Although Tony Mowbray's Championship side are big underdogs for tonight's FA Cup tie, they face opponents who are vulnerable and divided.

Rafa Benítez has been forced to deny reports he has lost the dressing room, but the tensions within the Chelsea squad are bubbling narrowly under the surface.

And while Mowbray acknowledges Chelsea's class, he says last season's Champions League should provide inspiration for his side as they attempt to topple the European champions.

"I won't be too disappointed if Chelsea have 500 or 600 passes if we have 100 and win 2-1," he says. ""We have to find a way to win football matches.

"That is my job, I'm not finding the answer, the players are not finding the answer. It is a one off game, Chelsea will have more of the ball than we will. Will they get behind us? Will they hurt us? W

"ill they have counter attacks? Will we score when the chances come? Will someone get a head on a corner? I don't know, but we will be doing our best.

"Take for instance Chelsea in those Barcelona games last season. How on earth did Chelsea win? With 10 men against the best team in the world, the best team for decades and still managing to come out on top. They found a way, so can we find a way on the night."

Chelsea striker Demba Ba admits there is extra pressure on his side tonight given their 2013 form. Benítez targeted five trophies when he arrived at Chelsea, but three of those chances – the Premier League, Champions League, and the Club World Cup – have all now disappeared.

"Realistically this season we have two chances of silverware and I am cup-tied in the Europa League so I hope we can do something in the FA Cup," said Ba. "I know about Wembley Stadium, heard a lot about it, and I want to play there with Chelsea."

"I've not played much in the FA Cup, but I know how important it is for the club and the fans. It's the English Cup, so we need to do something good in the competition. My last trophy was in youth football I think when I was young at Under-17 or Under-18 probably."

Middlesbrough come into the game with only one win from their last seven games after a promising start to the campaign, but seventh in the Championship they will still have at least one eye on a potential promotion push.

"I don't know that much about Middlesbrough, but they are doing well in the Championship table," Ba said. "They lost last week against Millwall, and I watched that game on the bus travelling back from our game against Manchester City.

"We need to be concentrated because we know how big this game is. I know they are rivals with Newcastle but I never got the chance to play against them."